Wow, didn't know Part 2 was coming so fast...

Whew! You had me worried...SO GLAD things are happening as they should. It's time to get it right. I'm so excited to see how this all turns out.

Oh my, you must be a much more patient woman than I am. I would've flogged dh and bil! Can't wait to hear and see the happy ending!

Oh, Francy. Just wanted to wish you luck. I looked through both your posts, and I love your little kitchen! I also love old houses.

Aren't friends and family the worst sometimes?! It can be one of the most awkward things in the world when they decide to do you "favors" of this kind. You save a little bit of money (maybe), but it often takes them longer, they are LESS likely to listen to what you want than strangers, and you have no recourse if things go bad!

Your kitchen sounds like it will be great. I can't wait to see more pictures!

I absolutely love your stove! I searched and searched for one here in the midwest to no avail. AT my old house I had a similar range (electric though) and despite it being electric I loved it. I have a Lacanche now and honestly, I do miss my old stove a lot.

I love your stove and the floors ... they are beautiful. I also love older homes, but DH doesn't so maybe one day when I'm old and rich, I'll have one! Working with friends and family isn't always better or cheaper! Maybe you can use the BIL cabinets in the garage?

Keep us posted!
Christy

Part 1 actually happened almost 2 years ago!

Let's just hope Part 3 happens NEXT WEEK!

(to say nothing of Part 4 which includes things like a restored backsplash, a range hood, new paint job, etc.)

Here is the drawing I did for the cabinetmaker. Kind of primitive and hard to see--I apologize. So this is what the new sink wall is supposed to look like. The unit on the far right is a trash cabinet, and next to that is the framed in, integrated dishwasher (made to look like a drawer over a cabinet).

The plan is for it to all be a soft yellow, with the blackish soapstone counters.

I should have learned by now to always put quote marks around "The Plan."

2 years has been a long time to wait for 6 linear feet of kitchen. But I'm so, so thankful to (almost) have it. I'd better not complain!!

Francy

Francy, it will be amazing. Are you keeping pinky 2 next to the too cool vintage stove? I love pinky and all your original cabinetry. I'm a fellow old house fan.

It looks like you have quarter-sawn heart pine floors -- my very favorite floors on earth. Were these hiding under the faux-brick flooring in the first photo?

I think you'll be really glad that you waited for the new 6 feet of cabinet before you get your soapstone. It'll be SO worth the wait. It looks wonderful.

And the new units will be 35.5" high (the original height). My aching arms can't wait for that!! (Then add 3 cm for counter.)

Francy

Francy, "The Plan" looks lovely!

Will you be getting the different levels that you liked from the original kitchen?

JC

Your "Life is what happens while" story had me laughing ruefully, but it's so nice to turn the page and start digging into the next chapter.

Whew--I was worried that you were going to have to keep the cabs under a beautiful soapstone countertop, and then be stuck living with them forever! Can't wait to see the finished new cabs--I am very excited for you!

The floors are actually vertical grain douglas fir. Under that hideous vinyl was the original linoleum. It was also rather hideous, and very badly damaged. Still, being the old house fanatic that I am, it pained me to tear it up (and I kept some pieces of it). Here are 2 photos of the original floor:

Under the lino, was the fir. We were originally going to put down marmoleum, but once we saw the fir, we knew we couldn't cover it up!

I actually gave up on my original idea to keep the bi-level counters. I have a very small amount of counter work space in the kitchen. Only a couple square feet on either side of the sink! The bi-level set up would have reduced the area even more. So I let it go. *sigh*

The Pinky Sisters will probably go into my someday-laundry-room area. Or maybe one will go in a bathroom. Not sure yet. But I'll certainly keep them! One of them has a metal lined flour bin in it that I love. Next to the stove we will probably do a "pinky reproduction" which will conceal some drawer refrigerators.

Here is a better shot of the stove wall. Right next to the drawer unit is a door to the upstairs. We need to get a vintage looking hood for the stove (I'm starting up a new round of begging for a Modern Aire, or Vent a Hood Excalibur).

I'm so glad your Part 2 had a happy ending!!!! THANK YOU! :) Now we'll all be waiting for your good news next week too. YEA - something to look forward to!

Someone covered up those beautiful floors with linoleum! What were they thinking? Does B-I-L know you're getting new cabinets? I can't wait to see part 3.

Laurie

Hi:
You are VERY patient! We just installed an original 50's kitchen in our 20's home. I've been waiting 6 weeks for counters and am just about loosin' it! Plus we don't even live in the house (had to move out during the extensive remodel)!!

Your stove is fanastic. I had a stove and fridge re-done in Tucson. That is crazy, I know, but this is my DREAM kitchen, and a 50's fridge and stove were in the dream, lol. The place we had the work done has a side company called Vintage Hoods and they are really nice looking http://www.antiquevintageappliances.com/vintage_hoods.htm
Way better than the Elmira hoods in my opinion because they are deeper.
We actually did not get one of these, our cupboards are Yorktowne steele units and came with a cupboard for a built in unit so we had one retrofitted in the cabinetry. But we did research the hoods, and I did like the ones in the link a lot.

girlgroupgirl

GGG: thanks for the link! I've had a really hard time finding the right looking hood. Or, I should say, I've had a really hard time finding the right looking hood for under 1400.00! (TheHusband thinks a hood should only cost half that much. Maybe he's right, but this is a tiny kitchen. And my dream kitchen. And sometimes it is all about style!) Can you post photos of your kitchen?

The B-I-L does not know. I just saw him for the first time in 2 years at Thanksgiving. In the interest of family peace, I planned to say nothing. He never asked "how's that kitchen?" and so I never mentioned it. But my feelings toward him were certainly calmer since my husband agreed to replace the PlywoodMonstrosities.

Just waiting and waiting for the cabinetmaker to call. It is Friday. He said he'd call this week to update me on his schedule. I also made a point of telling him that my birthday is next week, and this would be the best present ever! *Come on phone, RING!*

Francy

Francy, you must have saved well over $1,400 by not doing the marmoleum floors...that savings would pay for your rangehood! (Does that kind of logic work with your husband?) I love the Modernaire hood and think it would look AMAZING in your kitchen.

We're currently doing a kitchen addition on our 1905 house and are really trying to keep the soul and look of an old kitchen. Even with my excitement for the new kitchen, a big part of me regrets abandoning the original kitchen. Ours had not been updated either, and it has even more counterspace limitations than you have...plus no dishwasher and no place to put one. And even with that, I'm desparately sad to see it go. But we're keeping our double drainboard, apron front farm sink and will re-install it in the new kitchen space. It was part of why we bought the house!

Hi Francy,
Can't wait to see those cabinets. Your kitchen is going to be so cute! Hey did you keep the Shaw?

Arlosmom, I hope that you post pictures! An addition! Does that mean that your refrigerator actually gets to live in your kitchen? I agree it would be really hard to pull out an original kitchen.

Our 1921 house had a 70's kitchen so I was really happy to see that go and SO happy to now have both counter space and a dishwasher! The only thing that makes me sad is that the dishwasher is ruining our silverplate flatware. We know that we should be washing it by hand but we are so happy to finally not have to do dishes that we keep running it through anyway.

Oh- sounds like the waiting in purgatory is going to be worth it!

Dumb question here- does your stove have a cover for the burners that folds up? (Obviously I don't know old stoves)
Guess that was a design feature for kitchens with little counter space?

Here's hoping we BOTH have new counters next week!

Hi Francy:
I'd like to wait to post photos until the counter tops and the vent hood is in. This is supposed to be this week, but we've been waiting on the counters for 3 months...so who knows? The promise is before Christmas. Day before??? The kitchen is BRIGHT - I like a lot of color as in day-glo neon type colors, so be prepared. Our fridge and stove are orange (and so are all the other appliances!!)

I can answer that question about the stove cover! Yes, it folds up!! Mine is a 1955 Tappan Dough Boy and it has ceramic covers that you have to place on top, so it is not quite as flat on top as this one is. However, ours has a glass door - single oven and extra side storage instead of a 2nd oven. What I like most about these old units is that there is lots of top space to set things on, off of the burners.

girlgroupgirl

(Answering stove question though not Francie) Raehelen, yes it was common for stoves to have fold over covers. Our current stove a late 1930's Wedgewood has the same thing. My favorite version of this was on our previous stove an early 50's O'keefe and Merrit where the stove cover was designed to fold into an upper shelf that was really sturdy and handy. I still miss that stove but I can visit it as it is in my neighbors garage waiting restoration.

Here is a link to a picture of that stove and also a site that has a gallery of many others.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vintage Stoves

Oops, sorry girlgroupgirl, I somehow missed that you had answered this. Must say, your orange Tappan sounds fabulous. Can't wait to see your pictures! I just finished uploading some new ones to flicker.

If you like you can see our Wedgewood stove and kitchen redo here:

Here is a link that might be useful: finished kitchen

Here's a link to my fridge. This is not my kitchen, but while the fridge was at the shop...
http://www.antiquevintageappliances.com/refrigerator22.html

Here's the stove!
http://www.antiquevintageappliances.com/stove57.html

Now all snug at my house! Can't wait to use them!!

GGG

Oh--love that orange! Orange is such a great appliance color!

Decodilly: you got your new backsplash! Are you relieved? I like the look of that metal (nickel?) outlet cover. Usually people do white covers on subway tile, but lately I've been pondering this very issue, and wondering if nickel would be a nice touch. I really like it! How do you like having the one pendant over the sink? Because my kitchen is so small, I think I will have one pendant over the sink, and one central ceiling fixture. But TheHusband wonders if I should try to squeeze in 2 skinny pendants over the sink, in order to get more light. (We'll probably do some under cab lighting as well).

Regarding the stove, the fold down cover is a life saver in a small kitchen! In fact, I end up using the microwave far more than I normally would, just so I can keep the stove cover down! I need the counter space so badly! My cover can go in 2 positions. Here it is, open all the way (it folds back on itself):

And here it is, folded halfway, which makes a useful shelf (great for holding prep stuff when cooking):

And on a more exciting note...

The cabinetmaker just called!! I waited all weekend (I felt like a teenager waiting for my boyfriend to call!). He's coming Wednesday, and said he'll need about a week.

In a way this is terrible timing. We celebrate Hanukkah, rather than Xmas, and this basically means no sink for the entire 8 days! I don't think I can do messy latkes and other holiday cooking without a sink. Previously, I had planned to make it easy on myself during the demo by ordering take out for a week (and using paper plates, etc.) I just don't see myself washing out a sticky, starchy food processor, or a greasy fry pan in the bathtub for several nights!!

So I had a moment where I almost asked him to wait a week.

And then I thought...

Almost 2 years without a decent kitchen vs latkes and brisket.
And if we do it right now, I just might even get a COUNTER installed by the end of the year.

Hmmmmm. Hmmmmm.

He's coming! And maybe we'll just have latkes Tuesday night, and call it done!

Eeeek! I'm so nervous.......

Francy

GGG, when I clicked on your original link, dd saw the orange fridge and said 'That one's my favorite!' Turns out I guess it was your favorite as well :) Nice choice.

GGG, Love um both! Seeing your fridge makes me wish that we had gone with our first plan. We have an old Philco in the garage that we were going to have restored. We ended up deciding on a regular fridge when the contractor insisted that the opening in the wall for the fridge be wide enough for a modern fridge.

Francy I do like the nickel plates. These have rounded edges that look a bit modern so I might switch them out eventually for more traditional ones.

I worried a bit about the pendant hanging in between the windows rather than 2 over each window. Now that it's in I do like it and there is definitely enough light in over the sink.

Yes I am happy about the backsplash and also that the whole thing is finally done. Except that I wish that I had painted the cabinets and trim a color so who knows when I will get the ambition to repaint. Not for a few years I think. I am going to need to forget the amount of work it entails first!

Yay about the counters! The pain will be worth it in the end!

This is really quite fun and interesting. Thanks OP for posting this thread.

Ok, so he came a day late. On a Thursday. Ripped the old stuff out. (Note to anyone considering refinishing an old subfloor. See the before and after of the floor? Don't let any floor guy tell you it isn't worth it to refinish what is already there!)

Then we found out he hadn't actually build the new cabs yet (huh?????). He finally returned with some pieces on Tuesday. So far, I think things are looking ok. Except that he cut a big hole under the sink cabinet (which I'm whining about in a separate thread). No doors or drawers yet. And luckily, we had a followup discussion about the dishwasher panel. Turnes out he misunderstood my drawing, and was going to build it differently. WHEW! Thank goodness he mentioned it. My design sounds like a pain in the ***, but he said he'll try his best to get it right.

Here is the start of the new unit. It doesn't show much. Doors and drawers not made yet. Dishwasher will have a fake "drawer over door" and a filled in toe kick (to match the rest).

The soapstone folks are coming to revise my old template on Friday. They are so awesome. They feel really sorry for me, and are trying to get my counters in by the end of the year. But I just realized I should have everything painted first.

I wonder if I can get a painter. By this Friday! Done by Friday, that is!!

Francy

Francy, can you remind me which ss company you're going with? Also if I may make a suggestion, I think it's a great idea to make a royal pain out of yourself by checking and double-checking on absolutely every aspect of the design with the fabricator and the cabinet maker. Though I haven't even started, I notice all the time how many misunderstandings there can be between homeowner and designers, gc's, etc. Having not even begun our project, I hope I remember my own advice! I'm sorry if I sound bossy, but I so want your project to come out well because you've invested so much energy into it!

Sjerin: I bought the slab from M. Teixeira in San Francisco. But I preferred to use a different fabricator. So I am using Creative Stoneworks in Emeryville. So far, their customer service is great. Of course, I can't comment on their actual work yet. But someday.......

I guess I'm ready to start Part 3........

Francy

francy, your sketch is cute! but what happened to your original idea of the DW panel looking like an old flour bin? (i love those old bins!) the cabinetry installation so far looks really good. the contrast of the old and refinished floors is amazing. in fact, all your floor's incarnations have been amazing. your kitchen is like an archaeological site!

i'm looking forward to seeing pictures of it finished.